Crack that bottle of champagne! Today the first egg arrived in the bluebird box. Although I monitor bluebirds every year, this day is always special!
Woo Hoo! First Swallowtail Cottage bluebird egg of 2013!
I will admit I was a bit nervous this morning, when I observed only the female. Typically, the male is never far away, yet today he was absent. The female hopped out of the box and waited and watched on the Noel guard for some time—no male in sight. Then voila this afternoon I discovered this in the nest! Yay! Perhaps the male was out smoking cigars with the boyz…
This is the side view of the completed nest with side door raised. Notice the wire riser in the bottom ~ I added this to help deter blowfly. Notice the coir material on the bottom, yet the female finished the liner with soft grass. Nice mama!
This is the overall view of the bluebird box with hole extender and Noel guard (green) attached to box face ~ another predator guard.
Front view of bluebird box. Much ado.
Don’t laugh, but this is the second box in my yard away from the active nest box ~ the one this pair used last year. Since they chose the other box, I rigged up this private feeding station for the bluebirds. Parakeet feeder inside Noel guard and covered with (yikes!) butter boxes to prevent other birds from seeing the food.
This TACKY arrangement, ahem, works! The butter boxes are flexible and coated, so they stand up to weather, keeping the treats dry.
Bluebirds are bashful birds and will not come to feed at my public platform feeder where titmice, cardinals, chickadees, finches, doves, and woodpeckers feed.
Celebration is in order tonight!
And the best news is that just after I poked around taking these photographs, I noticed both the male and female checking out the box. Hurray!
All is well at Swallowtail Cottage!
These little things in life make my days sweet.
Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved
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